Texas' Applewhite keeping quiet about Simms

AUSTIN (AP) - Major Applewhite stands on the sidelines every Saturday, waiting to see if he'll get another chance to lead the Texas offense.

Texas' career passing leader has been in a few games this season, but only in mop-up duty as Chris Simms takes the snaps for the No. 11 Longhorns.

So how does it feel to hold 40 school passing records only to watch his senior season tick away one game at a time?

"I just don't think that's everyone's business to know how I feel about what's going on," Applewhite said, seemingly tired of media queries about the Texas quarterback situation.

Applewhite said before the season started he wasn't bitter about riding the bench. Now, he just doesn't want to talk about it.

"I'm sorry. I hope people respect that," he said.

Who should start for the Longhorns seems to be the only business on the mind of Texas fans.

Coach Mack Brown's decision to start Simms over Applewhite this season prompted fiery debate. While it had calmed down after Texas' 4-0 start, last week's 14-3 loss to Oklahoma rekindled the flames. The controversy is fueled by the fans. Unlike the quarterback rotation of 2000, Brown has never wavered on his starter this year. The coach says he never considered putting Applewhite in against the Sooners despite Simms' four interceptions, three of which came in the fourth quarter.

Although Brown said some lineup changes could be made Saturday when Texas (4-1, 1-1 Big 12) plays at Oklahoma State (2-3, 0-2), it is unlikely that Simms wouldn't start.

By sitting on the bench, Applewhite has been elevated to near-legendary status by some Texas fans. They point to his 21-7 record as a starter and consecutive wins over Nebraska in 1998-99. They remember how Applewhite led six fourth-quarter rallies to victory in those two seasons and his school-record 57 touchdown passes.

Texas went 9-3 in 1998 when Applewhite had Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams in the backfield. Texas won nine games again in '99 when Applewhite became the school's first 3,000-yard passer and was named the Big 12's offensive player of the year.

That resume, combined with Simms' performance against Oklahoma, spawned a flurry of calls to local radio talk shows and letters to the editor this week calling for Applewhite to play.

Applewhite says he doesn't pay any attention to his fan support. Nor will he be goaded into criticizing Simms.

"It doesn't mean anything," Applewhite said. "I appreciate it. I thank them. Polls, call-in shows, things like that, if that's what they need to get it off their chest, that's fine, let them do that. It's coach Brown's decision. I have to live by that.

"In the car on the way home, the last thing I want to listen to is people talking about sports. I'd rather listen to music or just turn it off and not listen to anything," he said.

Critics can find chinks in Applewhite's record, too.

His supporters seldom mention the six turnovers in a loss to Kansas State in 1999. Applewhite is 4-5 against ranked opponents as a starter, with three of those victories coming while Williams was in the backfield. He was the starter when Texas went 10 straight quarters without an offensive touchdown to end the '99 season.

Simms said some Texas fans just want to see him fail. He said he won't be crushed by the criticism or the Oklahoma loss.

"I'm not going to be, so they can stop wasting their time," said Simms, who ranks eighth in the Big 12 in passing efficiency ratings with six touchdowns and six interceptions.

Simms' critics point to Applewhite's past successes but rarely mention his own, such as a 383-yard, three touchdown game against Texas A&M last season or Texas' first 4-0 start since 1983.

"When you're the quarterback of a team like this ... that's just the way it goes when you lose," Simms said.